Popovers

If you've never made a popover, today's the day to mark it off your cooking bucket list! These puffy, golden delights are a delicious cross between a dinner roll and French cheese puff, and they're easier to make than both. No yeast, no rising, no tedious kneading required—just eggs, flour, milk, and a nice hot oven. While they're the perfect side to your favorite pot roast, they're also a wonderful breakfast treat served with strawberry butter (just leave out the chives and pepper).

What are popovers?

Popovers are a close cousin of Yorkshire pudding, a classic British baked good traditionally served with roast beef and made with beef drippings. They look like rolls with their crispy shells but, on the inside, they're hollowed out with piping hot custardy dough. If you've ever eaten a French cheese puff, they're strikingly similar, except popovers are much easier to make!

What's the secret to perfect popovers?

Use room temperature (or warmer) ingredients to guarantee puffy, crisp popovers. We use a blender in this recipe, but it's not necessary; you can just whisk the batter in a mixing bowl. We recommend a bowl with a spout for easy pouring. The only other "secret" is this: Do not open the oven until they're done—no peeking! Peeking results in "flopovers," not popovers! (And nobody likes a flopover.)

Can you make popovers in a muffin tin?

You can absolutely make popovers in a muffin tin. We recommend using a regular (not jumbo-sized) muffin tin, because the smaller size encourages a puffier puff. No matter what size you make, be sure to spray the tins with cooking spray first, and then fill the muffin tin wells about three-quarters full with batter. You can use one 12-cup pan or two 6-cup pans for this recipe. 

How do you keep popovers from deflating?

To help popovers keep their shape a little longer, turn off the oven and let them cool in the oven without opening the door. These slow-cooled puffs will be less custardy inside, but will hold their shape longer. However, it is the nature of popovers to rise and fall; that's just what they do. We recommend serving them straight from the oven—just make sure you have a good oven mitt!